Factors of soil formation: Climate

Climate determines the rates of chemical reaction, substance transport and biological activity in soils, therefore, the earliest soil scientists categorized soils according to climatic zones. Understanding the soils’ potential for agriculture, environmental functioning, and climate change mitigation and adaptation requires insight into their relation to climate. The Soil Orders (Soil Taxonomy) and the Reference Soil Groups (World Reference Base for soil resources) that typically occur in each climatic zone are discussed and underlying processes of soil formation are explained. Finally, the effects of global climate change on soils are discussed, as well as evidence in soils of past climatic changes.